Valley
Blurb The Tribe of Rushing Water has run out of food. The skies and mountain offer them nothing, and now they must do what none of them has ever done; leave their home. Now they face threats never before met as they travel to a place found only in the blinding flashes of water in hopes that they may survive. Tribe of Rushing Water Tribe of Rushing Water Healer- Teller of the Pointed Stones ( Stoneteller ) - Dark gray and white she-cat with blues eyes. Cave-Guards Moon that Shines during Day (Moon) - Pale silver tabby she-cat with green eyes Hawk that Soars the Skies (Hawk)- Dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes Fog of Early Morning (Fog)- Dark ginger she-cat with blue eyes To-be: Creek Dawn that brings Color (Dawn)- Black tom with green eyes Breeze that Rattles Trees (Breeze)- Dark brown tabby to with a white chest Cliff where Mountain Ends (Cliff)- Large brown tom with amber eyes Canyon that Sings with Wind (Wind)- Dark brown tom with green eyes Prey-Hunters Crack where Water Trickles (Crack)- Dark gray tabby tom with yellow eyes To-be: Sun Star that Streaks in Night (Night)- White long-haired tom with blue eyes Water that Crashes against Stone (Crash)- Light brown tabby tom with green eyes Tree where Eagle Perches (Tree)- Brown tabby tom with green eyes Mouse that Scurries in Bush (Mouse)- Slender gray she-cat with amber eyes Cricket that brings Songs (Song)- Black she-cat with bright blue eyes Kit-Mothers Mist that Floats in Air (Mist)- Blue-gray she-cat with amber eyes. Mate is Hawk Kits: Night of No Moon, Icicle that Hangs from Tree, Puddle of Water in Cave To-Bes Sun’s Glow at Morning (Sun)- Brown and white tabby she-cat Creek that Thrashes the Shore (Creek) - Gray tom with amber eyes Elders Little Wolf that walks Alone (Wolf)- Small gray tom with amber eyes Valley Ch. 1 - The Departure “We’re leaving the mountains.” Cats stared at the colorless speaker, unable to process the information. The darkness of the cave at night sapped any hues that would have flourished during the day. “Stoneteller, what do you mean?” Wolf rasped. “The mountains are our home!” Cats murmured in agreement. Stoneteller sighed, and Song felt a small flash of pity for her. The she-cat had only been their healer for less than a season now. But the pity was quickly replaced with rage at what she was saying. “The mountain and skies offers us no prey,” Stoneteller pointed out. She looked a little ashamed as she continued. “As you know, the Tribe of Endless Hunting hasn’t sent me any messages since I became healer, but they have this morning.” “How do we know you’re not just making this up?” Tree countered, his green eyes suspicious. “Tree!” Moon, his old mentor, gasped. “How dare you question our healer?” The she-cat turned to Stoneteller, giving her a nod. “They sent me a message,” the healer repeated. “I was looking out at the waterfall this morning, and the sun bounced off it, creating splashes of lights that blinded me. In these sparse heartbeats I saw a parts of a valley, lush with prey. I walked closer to the waterfall, hoping to see more, but there was nothing but the stench of death.” The she-cat looked certain, her blue eyes flashing. “It’s clear to me what this means: We must find this valley or die.” Song looked around at her tribe, specifically at her mate, Breeze. Imagining him dead made her pelt bristle and she bared her teeth a little. “When do we leave?” she asked. Cats shot her outraged and hurt looks. I’m not making this decision lightly. They’re just mad that I forced them to decide so quickly, but we don’t have time to wait. Even I haven’t been able to find an eagle in the last two days. “Why don’t we vote?” Wolf offered, shooting Song a nasty glare. Her black pelt prickled but she forced herself to calm down. O''f course an elder wouldn’t want to leave, but this change is clearly necessary.'' Stoneteller shook her head. “No, this isn’t negotiable. I will not put you at risk.” Wolf’s amber eyes glazed. “You’re a coward and a weakling!” he hissed. “Just because things get a little tough you’re trying to move the tribe to a new place? Our ancestors would be ashamed!” Wolf spat. “Our ancestors sent us this message,” Stoneteller replied calmly. Her blue gaze flickered to Song. “We will be departing in the morning- there is nothing keeping us here and no prey to collect. The mountains are rejecting us, so we shall leave.” Stoneteller leapt off the high ledge that towered above their heads, and Song gave the she-cat a dip of her head. Most of the tribe separated, either in small groups or alone to contemplate the news they had just received. Song padded over to her mate, nosed him gently and sat down so close there was barely any space between their pelts. “Are you okay?” she asked after a short silence. Breeze looked her in the eye. “Yes,” he nodded slowly. “I don’t want to leave, but I’m can’t focus on that. I’ll need all my strength to do this and help our tribe.” Song pushed her head into her mate, happy beyond words and knowing they would make it. Ch. 2 - Bon Voyage Night’s eyes fluttered open and he stood up, shaking his pelt free of feathers and stretching. “Watch it, Flash,” Hawk growled, eyeing the white tom’s fluffy tail. Night flinched internally at the cruel nickname some of the tribe had bestowed upon him and nodded, carefully padding around the rest of his tribemates. His white long fur was unlike anyone else’s and no matter how much mud he drowned himself it, it always managed to flash in the sunlight. His mother had been a pure black she-cat, but had mated with a white rogue and Night had gotten his pelt. The tom glanced over to the entrance of the tribe’s cave and spotted Stoneteller looking at the waterfall. “You’re right in what you’re doing,” Night murmured, padding over to her. Stoneteller’s eyes flashed. “I know this, I’m not doubting myself in the least. I’m doing what is best for all of you.” Night remained silent for a moment before speaking again. “Where do you think the valley is?” he asked. “Do you remember the stories about the cats that traveled through here many season-clusters ago?” she asked. Night thought back, a little unsure. “I think so. The ones that called themselves Clans?” Stoneteller nodded. “Yes. I know where they reside now and we must travel beyond that even.” Night’s pelt prickled with excitement and a little bit of fear. The tom had never met cats outside of the tribe, but the ones that the Tribe of Rushing Water had encountered were rarely good. “Can we call ourselves the Tribe of Rushing Water anymore?” he wondered. “We won’t be living near a waterfall, or in a cave.” Stoneteller’s let out a tiny growl. “We always have been and always will be the Tribe of Rushing Water; nothing will ever change that.” The healer padded away, her tail twitching in annoyance. The soft mewling of kits and Mist’s soothing murmur as she tried to quiet them. Night padded over to the caught-prey pile and picked up the plumpest rabbit. He padded over to the kit-mother and dropped it in front of her. “Here you go,” the muttered. “Thank you, Night,” she replied, shooting him a grateful look. “How’re the kits?” the tom asked, taking a seat. He could see that the kit-mother was looking nervous about the journey ahead and wanted to help soothe her. “They’re doing well,” Mist told him. There was an unsure silence between them before Night dipped his head. “If you need anything during the journey, I’d be happy to help,” he offered. Mist nodded. “Thanks Night, I might take you up on that.” Night stood up and began to back away, but he bumped into Hawk, Mist’s mate. “I’ll be able to take care of her,” he asserted, going over to his kits and giving Night a glare. Night padded off, furious. They act like my white pelt is contagious! I mean, Moon’s pelt is a pale silver, but nobody makes fun of her like this, he thought sullenly. (A/N: There wasn't a word for year that I knew of, so season-cluster= a year or so) Ch. 3 - Respect “Are we going to have a chance to hunt before departing?” Crack asked, not meeting Stoneteller’s gaze. He must want to stay here longer. “No, we are done here. We shall make stops along the way and we can hunt then.” Stoneteller heard Wolf make some crude remark in the back to Fog and Crash, but couldn’t make it out. She waved her tail, motioning for her tribe to follow behind. Stoneteller took in her last impressions of the cave where she grew up, warm nests, the calming whispers of the waterfall as she fell asleep, and burned them to her memory forever. The she-cat padded through the falls, making sure that her body language conveyed calm and confidence, or she knew that her cats would never make it past. Refreshing water soaked her gray pelt, and for a miniscule heartbeat, she panicked, wondering if this would be the last time she felt this. Then the memory of the smell of death crept back into her nostrils and she padded on into the sun. Thank you, she thought to her ancestors. Please, give me and my tribe the courage to continue on. “Let’s go!” she yowled to the cats who were still lollygagging. A few of them flinched, but nodded and pushed through the falling water, not wanting to make her wait. ** Stoneteller’s gray fur fluffed up against the cold breeze and she let out a tiny shiver. Although they had made good progress down the mountain, snow still blanketed the land. “When are we going to rest, Stoneteller?” Mist called. The kit-mother looked at her kits who were currently being carried by Hawk and Crash. “Until we find shelter.” “What if we don’t?” she panicked. A lot of the tribe had become nervous after they had exited their boarders. “Then we’ll make one,” Night shrugged. Stoneteller envied the tom who didn’t even seem to notice the cold under his thick pelt. She realized he must’ve spoken to her, because his blue eyes were gazing at her expectantly. “Did you say something?” Night nodded. “Yes, I think that patch of brambles would be a good place to spend the night,” he suggested, flicking at them with his tail. Stoneteller glanced in the direction he was pointing. There was a large bramble thicket a couple of wolf-lengths away. It looked carved, as if a giant paw had come in and scooped part of it out, but still well covered. The area around it was thick with pine trees. Those will work for bedding tonight. “We shall stay there,” she nodded, and her cats gave out a sigh of relief. The tribe gathered around her, awaiting more direction. Stoneteller took a quick peek at the sun. It was just after sunhigh, but they had been traveling since before sunrise. “Tree, Fog, Dawn, Sun, Canyon, and Breeze,” she addressed them. “I want you to clean out the den and make sure no brambles will be in our way or spiking us in the night. After that I want you to gather the needles and moss from the area to make our nests.” The cats nodded and took off. “Moon and Creek, go scout the area and make sure that there will be no visitors in the middle of the night. Crack, Mouse, and Cliff will be one hunting patrol, Song, Crash, and Breeze another, and the last will be Night and Hawk.” The cats quickly departed, not wanting to waste anymore time. Wolf, the lone elder, was padding over to some tree roots to rest. “Wolf,” she called him over. “I want you to come with me.” “And do what?” he mumbled, angry that he had to do anything. “Help me find some herbs.” Wolf gave her a strange look. “Is any cat sick?” “No, but our pads are sore, and it‘s only going to get worse. Might as well help prevent it before it become too bad. Coltsfoot pulp will help with that and Mist and her kits need lamb’s ear to keep up their strength,” she listed. The tom narrowed his eyes. “No cat is complaining about pads, and why do I need to help?” he challenged. Stoneteller was fed up with Wolf’s indignant attitude. Who was he to challenge her, his healer, in anyway? Even though she would never dream of attack him, her claws unsheathed out of anger, and Stoneteller could see that he knew immediately he had crossed the line. “Wolf, you seem to forget that I’m your healer. I don’t need to be wasting time explaining this to you and defending my decisions. I know what is best for this tribe. Despite the fact that you are retired, you are still a part of this tribe and we all must get through this together,” Stoneteller let out a tiny growl, and the tom immediately flattened his ears and lowered his head submissively. “What do these herbs look like?” Wolf asked after a moment. Stoneteller flicked her ears. It wasn’t an apology, but it was the best she was going to get from the proud cat for now. Ch. 4 - Fox “Song!” Breeze pelted into the she-cat, laughing. The two tumbled into the slushy snow, sending it flying in all directions. “What was that for, beetle-brain?” she growled playfully back, shoving her mate off. Song stood up and shook her fur clean. “Beetle-brain you!” he countered. “That doesn’t even make sense,” she shook her head in a hopeless gesture. “Come on you two!” Hawk growled ahead. “We’re not going to wait!” Breeze’s tail quivered. “Not like we were asking them to,” he mumbled, nosing Song forward. The black she-cat shrugged. “He’s probably worried about his kits. I know I would be.” The she-cat suddenly felt a new level of sympathy as she put herself in Mist’s paws. “Must be terrifying. We’re lucky nothing much has gotten in our way.” The tom nodded, but didn’t say anything, piquing her interest, but she knew better than to push him. Breeze wouldn’t give up anything he didn’t want to. “Hey!” Cliff padded over to the duo, his tail curling excitedly. “Stoneteller wants us to go ahead and see if there is a place to take shelter.” The mates exchanged a look. “Why? It’s barely past sunhigh.” Breeze mewed. “She said she wanted to apply ointment to everyone’s pads,” Cliff shrugged. “Although mine are fine.” “They won’t be for long,” Stoneteller meowed with a flick of her ears. The dark gray she-cat padded over quickly. “We’re leaving the snow bank, and soon everyone’s will be rough and sore. I want to prevent as much of this as possible.” Song nodded, not needing to hear anymore. The black she-cat held her tail in flat alignment with her body as she ran with the patrol. They quickly overtook the rest of the tribe, and Hawk joined them. Perhaps I should let him take the lead, she thought as the prey-hunter realized she was at the head. Her gait slowed a bit, but Breeze came up beside her. “Just keep going,” he assured her, and she picked up the pace once again. They continued to trek through the ever thinning snow. It was now just a thin sheet across the hills. Since leaving the mountain, the scenery had altered dramatically. The one sharp rocky landscape was now soft lofting hills. “Fox!” Cliff hissed, drawing all their attentions. He padded over to a thin sapling tree that was scored with thick claw marks. Song padded over and took a deep sniff. “It’s a few sunrises old,” her tail twitched. “We need to warn Stoneteller once she gets here.” She took a look around. “We can sleep over there,” she gestured over to a large grouping of ferns. The ground between them was dry and the plants could be used as bedding. Hawk nodded. “Let’s get started.” He padded over to the ferns and began to clean out the snow. Category:Tribe of Rushing Water Category:AuriBear's Fanfictions